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If you have comments or would like to submit an article to future newsletters, contact Lindsay Marshall
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COUGAR LINE ENHANCEMENTS

Parking
and Transportation Services recently
completed a number of enhancements
to its Cougar Line shuttle service.
These enhancements are the result of
on-going efforts to provide an
efficient and effective shuttle
service that remains responsive to
campus needs.

The most noticeable of these
enhancements are the buses
themselves. Currently almost all of
the buses serving the campus are
low-floor “kneeling” buses, with
automatic wheel chair ramps. These
ramps can be manually deployed as
well, ensuring consistent access for
all riders. In addition, the
majority of buses on campus are
“green” buses featuring
reduced-carbon emission engines
which significantly reduce the
amount of emissions often associated
with diesel engines.

Beyond the buses, riders are
benefitting from NextBus, the
real-time prediction service which
allows riders to obtain specific
arrival information for any Cougar
Line stop on campus. By visiting the
Cougar Line website riders can view
route maps and see arrival
predictions for their stop. This
service is also available via text
messaging, allowing any rider to
know when the next bus will arrive
at whatever stop they are using.
Signs posted at each stop provide
the phone number and stop number for
riders who want to use the
text-based service.

“NextBus offers both convenience and
safety for our riders,” explains Bob
Browand, Director of Parking and
Transportation Services. “In
addition to allowing riders to avoid
standing outside in the heat or
rain, it provides security for late
night riders, who can use the
service to minimize their time at
the stop late at night.”

Additionally, a new page
specifically for the Cougar Line has
been added to the Parking and
Transportation website. Users can
visit
www.uh.edu/cougarline to see
printable schedules for each route
and learn more about NextBus. There
is also an email link for riders who
need help locating a lost item.
Riders are also encouraged to
provide feedback on their experience
using the online survey. By
answering a few questions, riders
can provide information and data
that will be used to plan future
Cougar Line enhancements.

All Cougar Line riders are
encouraged to “Make Your Ride
Count!” By swiping their Cougar Card
each time they board a bus, riders
help provide valuable data,
including rider counts and trends,
which are used to schedule the
number and timing of buses on each
route. This information helps ensure
that the buses are where they need
to be, when they need to be.

“Accurate rider data is the most
important information we can obtain
for routing buses,” explains
Browand. “By identifying peak times
on the routes, and knowing how many
passengers get on at each stop, we
can determine how to route the
buses, and how many buses are
needed. Swiping their Cougar Cards
is the most accurate way for riders
to assist us in gathering this
information.”

The Cougar Line service carries over
1.2 million riders/year, using five
routes to transport students and
employees across campus. To learn
more about the Cougar Line, or other
Parking and Transportation services,
visit
www.uh.edu/parking.